Taunton Technologies, Inc.

Tauton Technologies, Inc.

Clifford A Martin

William B Telfair

Paul R Yoder

Eugene I Gordon

Francis A L'Esperance, Jr

William C Fricke

A beam intensity profilometer produces a fluorescent emission distribution having a spatial distribution linearly proportional to the local intensity of an incident UV beam shined into the profilometer. The spatial distribution of the UV beam is analyzed and displayed as a function of the fluorescent emission.

Beam intensity profilometer

In the context of ultraviolet-laser sculpting of the cornea to achieve optical correction through a newly shaped anterior surface, the invention subjects the laser beam to certain shaping and homogenizing operations prior to any attempt to specially characterize the beam for a particular sculpturing procedure. In a preferred embodiment, the shaping and homogenizing operations present a tolerably homogeneous beam of enlarged dimension, so that specialty-characterizing may proceed on a dimensional scale that is greater than the corresponding dimension of ultimate surgical delivery to the eye, thereby enabling greater control of the quality of specialty-characterizing. Provision is made for selectively monitoring the quality of the homogeneity and/or of the specially-characterized beam, with further provision for automated cutoff of laser beam delivery to an eye in the event that quality is not within predetermined limits of tolerance. And preferably, all beam shaping, homogenizing and characterizing operations proceed in a controlled environment which precludes ozone development and thus minimizes the beam-degrading effect of ozone and particulates or other contaminants.

Sculpture apparatus for correcting curvature of the cornea

An ultraviolet radiometer converts UV radiation to fluorescent radiation. An optical signal corresponding to the intensity of detected fluorescent radiation is converted to an electrical signal corresponding to the power or energy of the detected fluorescent emission. A monitoring element receives the electrical signal and monitors the power or energy of the UV radiation.

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Bridgeport, CT, United States of America

Clifford A Martin